**There will be several spoilers from season 5 in this read**
Margaret Atwood’s books have grappled us with sharp hooks from June 2017. After six years in 2024, we will enter The Handmaid’s Tale season 6.
The series creators have already confirmed it to be the last season, for at least the Handmaid’s Tales saga, so that means there is more! (more on that later).
What we envisioned for the struggle and fight to conclude in the third season took a 360-degree turn later. The norms and ideology of war have changed, and June is joined by her nemesis, Serena Joy, who also had the taste of her medicine during season 5.
Last time, in the season finale, we watched June Osborn and Serena Joy together with their children on a train to Hawaii. They look like similar women, with similar inhibitions and fires in their bellies.
I, for one, cannot imagine what wrath these two are capable of bringing on Gilead now they are together in it.
Table of Contents
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 Release Date?
Actors and creators have hinted that season 6 will air in 2024. In a recent interview on the Graham Norton Show, Madeline Brewer, who we fondly know as Janine, mentioned that we have one last season, and it is coming in 2024.
I really hope it does because the fate of the series was affected by SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The actors have joined the Writer’s Guild of America strike and were actively seen on picket lines protesting.
Bradley Whitford, in an interview, back in February, mentioned they aren’t expecting to go back to studios until August end. That’s so Commander Lawernce of him. Did he know the strike would end around that time? Spooky!
In the latest updates, on 25th September, studios and writers reached an agreement. We hope it all works out for everyone. Hoping they start producing The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 soon.
Update: The studios backtracked on the agreement and the strike continues. I will update you if anything changes.
Actors Confirmed for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6
- Elisabeth Moss – June Osborne
- Yvonne Strahovski – Serena Joy
- Madeline Brewer – Janine Lindo
- Ann Dowd – Aunt Lydia
- O-T Fagbenle – Luke Bankole
- Max Minghella – Nick Blaine
- Samira Wiley – Moira Strand
- Bradley Whitford – Commander Lawrence
- Amanda Brugel – Rita Blue
- Ever Carradine – Naomi Putnam/Lawrence
Who is Leaving The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6?
Emily, played by Alexis Bledel, decided to bid farewell to the show. Season four reduced her character and gradually gave it the appropriate ending in season five.
Also, Bruce Miller, the show creator for the last five seasons, is parting ways. It is equally good and bad news. We all grew accustomed to Miller’s style, and now new creators, however, may be amazing, which makes us wonder if we would like the change.
Time for some good news.
Miller is working on the series spin-off ‘Testaments.’ Bruce Miller will be creating some of the episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, but nothing has come out officially regarding the news. It has been teased though he would be creating the first and last episode.
Why are June and Serena Heading to Hawaii?
In season five, we witnessed Canada become hostile towards the refugees of Gilead. Moreover, there is a shift in ideologies, and a smart person who suffered in Gilead can see big changes coming. After a serious attack on June in the season finale, Tuelle helped June, Nicole, and Luke flee.
Luke, unfortunately, couldn’t join her as he was wanted for hurting a Canadian citizen who attacked June outside their house. Police cornered them and Luke gave himself up to distract police and let June flee with Nicole.
Meanwhile, Commander Lawernce is working on his project Gilead 2.0, which he fondly terms, ‘New Bethlehem.’ He also offered June to join him and new Gilead citizens in Bethlehem, where she will get Hannah too as per Lawrence’s offer.
Season 5 Finale Explained
The last episode was intense, as expected. Every season finale ends with a key cliffhanger that leaves the viewers startled and agonized for months!
June and her refugee friends from Gilead are getting retaliation from Canadians who want them gone. In the finale, June almost died. Luke lashed back, which resulted in some irreversible injuries to the offender, who was trying to run June over in his truck.
Nick offers his loyalties as Gilead’s mole in exchange for June’s safety. He lost his temper with Commander Lawerence, thinking Gilead had to do with a recent attack on June. This would be true as the commanders and McKenzie were adamant about teaching June some lessons as she is free and keeps meddling to get Hannah.
(The part where he comes to see unconscious June in the hospital breaks my heart into tiny million pieces.)
It resulted in Nick being taken to those harrowing cells, and since then, there has been no news about Nick. His wife, the daughter of an important Commander, had enough of Blaine’s obsession with June and decided not to pursue a fight for her husband’s captivity by Eyes.
Janine had a row with Mrs. Putnam now Mrs. Lawrence, which resulted in an arrest. Aunt Lydia requested and bellowed to the Eyes to leave her, but she was taken away. She felt sad, dejected, and shocked.
(I wish Aunt Lydia would revolt!)
As June hops on the train, Luke has to surrender for her to flee with Nicole. As the train starts moving, she sees a familiar face, Serena, with her son, Noah!
We know Tuello planned this escape for June, Nicole, and Luke. So, it’s most likely that Serena is also there with Tuello’s help. Who knows, he always had a soft corner for her. She had the taste of what she did to June and the other handmaids, so she is a different person.
Release Date of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6
There has been no announcement, as the cast and crew haven’t gone into creation mode yet. With the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes still going strong, I am waiting to hear the news of the crew and cast flying off to Canada to start producing season 6. FINGERS CROSSED!
But I have some solid speculations!
I believe The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will release somewhere between August and September. Most of the previous season have released between June – August:
- Season 1 – 14th June
- Season 2 – 11th July
- Season 3 – 14th August
- Season 4 – 16th June
- Season 5 – 9th November
Hopefully, the studio will follow the tradition and ignore the anomaly of Season 5 release dates. Since Elisabeth Moss has mentioned this season will be huge, and there is a story to tell, I am expecting it will not be a ten-episode series.
If it is a thirteen-episode series to justify the ending, it will take time for the production team. So, I believe the series will come out around August.
But if I put my emotions aside and think realistically, The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will release way after August. Usually, when the crew goes into the filming phase, they take approximately three to four months.
Then comes the editing phase, which also takes the same time. If they were to start filming in December, chances are we would be able to see the first look/trailer by the May end.
It’s a long wait, maybe you can catch up on Only Murders in the Building season 3 on Hulu
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch The Handmaid’s Tale?
All the seasons are available to stream on Hulu. Meanwhile, you can also rent on Amazon Prime.
Where can I watch The Handmaid’s Tale season 6?
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will air on Hulu. However, the dates are not finalized yet due to SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Where can I watch The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 in the UK?
While all previous seasons are available on Amazon Prime, the new season will air on Channel 4.
When does The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 release?
It is speculated that the series will be released in mid-2024.
Parting Thoughts
The series is a little different from books, and you can expect things to turn out differently. With Testaments in tow and already in production mode, I am sure the series creators will leave a cliffhanger and gaps in the story that can only be settled in Testaments.